Tuesday's primaries were supposed to give Texas Democrats the
opportunity to influence the nomination of their party's presidential
candidate and give Republicans the chance to select the best candidates to
help their party take over the state's congressional delegation.

But, as has been the case in the past several election cycles in Texas,
only the Republicans will get their way.

The GOP primaries feature high-octane races for Congress in several
newly configured districts. In many of those areas, the winners will go on
in November to challenge Texas Democrats who are well-established in
Washington.

The only primaries of note for statewide office are the Republican race
for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission -- with an appointed incumbent
and three challengers -- and another GOP contest for a seat on the Texas
Supreme Court, which features an incumbent without the backing of the
party establishment against a better-financed challenger.

Runoffs will be scheduled next month in races in which no candidate
receives a clear majority.

"We think there's going to be a lot of excitement in the
Republican primary all across the state," said Ted Royer, spokesman
for the Texas GOP, whose party holds all the statewide offices and
controls both chambers of the Legislature.

Mike Lavigne, spokesman for the Texas Democratic Party, predicted that
local races will spur turnout on his side.

"There are a lot of contested primaries for Congress, state rep
and even constable," he said. "There are a lot of Democrats who
want to serve."

Both parties will hold presidential primaries, but they will be largely
symbolic. President Bush is unopposed in the Republican column and
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry has all but cleared the field on the
Democratic side.

The Texas primary had been scheduled for March 2 as part of Super
Tuesday, which could have given Texas Democrats some clout in the
nominating process.

According to a Texas Poll released Saturday, Sen. John Edwards of North
Carolina had amassed a substantial lead over Kerry. But Edwards withdrew
last week after a dismal showing coast to coast.

Texas had to delay the primary by one week because of the protracted
battle in the Legislature over congressional redistricting. The state's
Republican leadership pushed redistricting through in an effort to break
the Democrats' long-held control over the congressional delegation.

Redistricting helped fuel one heated battle in Fort Worth. Five-term
Democratic state Rep. Glenn Lewis of District 95 is being challenged by
Fort Worth resident Marc Veasey, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Martin Frost.
Veasey has accused Lewis of being too cozy with GOP leaders and not doing
enough to block redistricting.

Lewis calls himself a strong Democrat whose ability to work across
party lines is "a plus" for his constituents.

In the newly drawn District 17 south of Tarrant County, state Rep.
Arlene Wohlgemuth of Burleson is battling former Waco school board
President Dot Snyder and retired Army Col. Dave McIntyre in the Republican
primary.

The winner will face incumbent Demo- crat Chet Edwards of Waco, but the
district was drawn to the Republicans' advantage.

In the new GOP-dominated District 24 that straddles Tarrant and Dallas
counties and bleeds into southeast Denton County, state Rep. Kenny
Marchant of Coppell is considered the favorite in the race against Bill
Dunn, a Tarrant County real estate developer and former Euless councilman;
Cynthia Newman, a business consultant from Carrollton; and Terry Waldrum,
an Irving councilman and small-business owner.

The winner will face Democrat Gary Page of Dallas in the general
election on Nov. 2.

Several newly drawn congressional districts in East Texas, where
Democrats have dominated for decades, are offering fresh opportunities for
Republicans. And with opportunity comes competition.

Six Republicans are vying to take on Democratic incumbent Max Sandlin
of Marshall in District 1. In District 2, Democratic Rep. Nick Lampson of
Beaumont is also being chased by six GOP hopefuls.

The new congressional lines have also fostered rivalries in the
Democrats' camp. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin is being challenged by
former state District Judge Leticia Hinojosa for the right to represent a
newly drawn district that stretches from the state Capitol to the Rio
Grande.

In the GOP primary for the railroad commission, incumbent Victor
Carrillo faces three challengers: rancher and oilman Douglas Deffenbaugh
of San Antonio, retired state employee Robert Butler of Palestine and
retired engineer K. Dale Henry of Mullin.

Carrillo, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to fill an unexpired
term, has the backing of the GOP establishment. The winner of the primary
faces Democrat Bob Scarborough of Fort Worth in November.

In the race for Place 5 on the Texas Supreme Court, Perry is backing
challenger Paul Green, a justice on the state's 4th Court of Appeals in
San Antonio, over incumbent Steven Wayne Smith of Austin.